Microwave Corn Garlic Butter (Print Version)

Quickly cooked corn on the cob topped with rich garlic butter for a savory side dish.

# What You Need:

→ Corn

01 - 4 ears fresh corn, husked

→ Garlic Butter

02 - 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
04 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ To Serve

07 - Lemon wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Place the husked corn on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a damp paper towel.
02 - Microwave on high for 4 to 6 minutes, turning the corn halfway through cooking, until the kernels are tender. Let rest for 1 minute.
03 - In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the butter and minced garlic. Microwave for 30 seconds, or until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant.
04 - Stir in the salt, black pepper, and parsley into the melted garlic butter.
05 - Carefully remove the corn from the microwave. Brush each ear generously with the garlic butter using a pastry brush.
06 - Serve immediately, with extra butter and lemon wedges if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Corn goes from raw to restaurant-quality in under 10 minutes, no massive pot of boiling water required.
  • That garlic butter tastes like you fussed over it for hours, but it's basically melted butter and minced garlic—pure, unfussy deliciousness.
  • It works for weeknight dinners and casual entertaining alike, which means you'll actually make it again.
02 -
  • If your corn is still tough after microwaving, add another minute or two—it won't hurt, and it's better than serving undercooked corn.
  • The damp paper towel is non-negotiable; without it, the corn can actually toughen up or dry out in the microwave because there's no surrounding water like in boiling.
03 -
  • Make extra garlic butter and store it in the fridge for up to a week—it's incredible on bread, roasted vegetables, or even scrambled eggs the next morning.
  • If you're cooking for a crowd, you can microwave all the corn at once on a large platter, but add a minute or two to the cooking time and rotate it more frequently so it cooks evenly.
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